Former pastor sentenced to at least 46 years in prison

A man who once worked as a pastor at two local churches
learned Wednesday that he must spend at least the next 46 years in prison for
sex crimes he committed against his ex-wife while they were married.

At about 2 p.m. in Tuscola County Circuit Court, Judge Amy
Grace Gierhart sentenced 37-year-old Brad Joseph Gniewek, of Cass City, to nine
terms of 23 to 60 years in prison – one term for each of nine counts of first-degree
criminal sexual conduct that he was convicted of.

Two of the sentences are to be served consecutively, while the other seven are to be served concurrently. Which means short of a successful appeal, Gniewek will spend the next 46 to 120 years in prison. Gierhart gave Gniewek credit for 58 days already served.

“This is one of the most heinous and horrendous crimes I’ve
seen in 24 and a half years of practice,” Gierhart said before handing down her
sentence. “The level of abuse that has been perpetrated on the victim by you,
her former husband, is (horrific).”

On Jan. 11, a nine-man, three-woman
jury found Gniewek guilty of nine counts of first-degree criminal sexual
conduct. During the trial, Gniewek told the court he lives in Minnesota, but
spent most of 2002 through 2017 living in the Thumb area. He was accused of committing
the assaults against his wife prior to the couple’s divorce in August 2015.
Gniewek was arraigned on the charges in January 2018. He had been free on bond
since shortly after his arraignment, but bond was revoked and Gniewek was taken
to the Tuscola County Jail following his Jan. 11 conviction.

From about 2008-09 to about 2011,
Gniewek worked as a pastor at Novesta Church of Christ, 2896 Cemetery Road in
Novesta Township, according to a church official.

“We parted ways,” the official
said.

Gniewek also spent time as a pastor
at Mooretown Brethren in Christ Church in Sandusky. An official with Mooretown
told The Advertiser that Gniewek was a pastor with the church from 2014 until
being “removed” from the position in 2017.

Gniewek’s attorney, William Amadeo,
told the court at the sentencing that his client continues to profess his
innocence.

Gierhart said Gniewek’s lack of
ability to show remorse factored into her sentencing decision.

“You’ve shown no evidence you can be rehabilitated,” Giehart
said. “You are a violent and sadistic abuser who has masqueraded as a servant
of god for too long.”

Assistant Prosecutor Erica Walle, who handled the case for
the state, told the court that Gniewek is “nothing but a monster and pure evil,
your honor.”

The victim testified for about eight hours during the trial. She said that rape was common in their relationship, as was physical and mental abuse of not just her, but she and Gnieweks’ five children.

“I couldn’t even make the tiniest decision without asking
him. I was terrorized. I was held captive,” the victim said Thursday during a
victim-impact statement. “He found pleasure in causing pain to his family. I
lived all those years in a nightmare. Most of the time we had no idea what he
was even angry about.”

Gniewek’s primary attorney,
Howell-based Bill McCririe, contended during the trial that the victim
fabricated the sexual assault charges. McCririe was not at Wednesday’s
sentencing.

The trial originally was scheduled
for December, but a mistrial was declared on Thursday, Dec. 20, by Gierhart –
two days into the trial – after a witness made a statement while testifying that
was not admissible.

After the mistrial was declared, Walle told the court that while she was explaining the decision to the victim, and her family and friends, outside the courtroom, Gniewek walked by and glared at the victim. Walle described the look as an “evil smirk,” after which Gniewek said “Merry Christmas” to the victim and her supporters.

“He said that knowing he had won
that round,” Walle said. “But he didn’t win Round 2.”

Before dismissing the court room
following her sentencing decision Wednesday, Giehart addressed Gniewek one last
time.